'Dambuster' Lancaster colour questions...

[Simon]

Hello

I'm currently wrestling with the Airfix Lancaster (two falls and submission so far... ), and have some questions about interior colours:

1. Cockpit - black, or interior green?

2. Pilot and navigator seats - black or green seats? And what colour for the leather seat cushions? Black? Brown? (The Airfix kit doesn't have a navigator seat, but I'm scratchbuilding one).

3. Undercarriage bays - I've read that the doors have black insides, but the bays themselves are interior green - can anyone confirm/dispel this?

4. Undercarriage itself - what colour for the legs and wheel hubs?

5. Not a colour question, but did the Chastise Lancs still have the normal bomb sights fitted to Lancasters?

6. And finally Esther (showing my age there - sorry!), did they still have the '/G' at the end of the serials on the actual mission?

Any expert opinions gratefully received!

Regards

Simon

[tomprobert]

Hello

I'm currently wrestling with the Airfix Lancaster (two falls and submission so far... ), and have some questions about interior colours:

1. Cockpit - black, or interior green?

2. Pilot and navigator seats - black or green seats? And what colour for the leather seat cushions? Black? Brown? (The Airfix kit doesn't have a navigator seat, but I'm scratchbuilding one).

3. Undercarriage bays - I've read that the doors have black insides, but the bays themselves are interior green - can anyone confirm/dispel this?

4. Undercarriage itself - what colour for the legs and wheel hubs?

5. Not a colour question, but did the Chastise Lancs still have the normal bomb sights fitted to Lancasters?

6. And finally Esther (showing my age there - sorry!), did they still have the '/G' at the end of the serials on the actual mission?

Any expert opinions gratefully received!

Regards

Simon

Hi Simon,

I won't pretend to be a Lancaster expert, but I did do a fair bit of research when building one a year or so ago. Others on here will be able to provide you with more accurate information, but this is what I think a '43 vintage Lancaster would have been:

1) Fuselage interior up to the front of the main spar is interior green. Forward of the spar from the wireless op/nav area, through the cockpit and into the nose would have been black. Fittngs such as tables etc. were interior green though.

2) Pilot/Nav/Wireless op seats would have been black with dark brown leather. However, the pilot's seat doesn't have a cushion as he sat on his parachute. On top of the pilot's armour plate panel was a yellow/cream circular panel... not sure what is was for but others might be able to shed more light on this.

3) All pictures I've seen of the wheel bays show them all black, including the interior of the doors.

4) The undercarriage legs would have been black, but there are areas which seem to have been left natural metal on the legs. Have a dig around for pictures and you'll see what I mean. As for the Dams Lancasters... if you are doing Guy Gibson's aircraft there are a few photos available if you google it. The hubs themselves often were black, but again I've seen other aircraft where they were left in left natural metal.

5) I'm 99% certain the bomb sights would have been removed as they were not needed on this type of low level raid. The famous 'coat hanger' sights were used instead.

6) I think the /G etc were not used on the actual Dams raid, but were present during the build up and test flying etc.

As I said earlier I'm by no means an expert... others are bound to know more but I hope this is of some help.

Tom

[theplasticsurgeon]

Wrestling sounds like the wrong word - this kit is a beaut.

Only problem with this one was the hi-jack - but that story is here

As for your questions:

1. Cockpit - black, or interior green? Depends where the planes were built. Some were made by Austin - I think these had the green interior.

2. Pilot and navigator seats - black or green seats? And what colour for the leather seat cushions? Black? Brown? (The Airfix kit doesn't have a navigator seat, but I'm scratchbuilding one). Same as previous answer.

3. Undercarriage bays - I've read that the doors have black insides, but the bays themselves are interior green - can anyone confirm/dispel this? Not me

4. Undercarriage itself - what colour for the legs and wheel hubs? I've seen photos with black gear apart from the actual rams - so it appears I got that wrong on mine!

5. Not a colour question, but did the Chastise Lancs still have the normal bomb sights fitted to Lancasters? I doubt it. Not needed, and more weight and stuff to get in the way. Also could be compromised if the 'plane was shot down intact.

6. And finally Esther (showing my age there - sorry!), did they still have the '/G' at the end of the serials on the actual mission? Mine is away on a mission - so I can't just look at it.

One thing that I did read is that Chastise aircraft carried a both a bomb-aimer and a front gunner. These roles were normally the same crewman.

Syrups were fitted so that the gunners' feet didn't imped the aimer.

Edited September 27, 2011 by theplasticsurgeon

[miduppergunner]

Although not a Dambuster Lanc. it is an untouched one. The colours probably varied as did the side windows for example. I also believe I recall that leather cushions were green.

[Simon]

Thanks for the replies gents, much appreciated.

My kit obviously is a Friday afternoon special - both fuselage halves are warped, both upper wings are warped and twisted and the decals can best be described as 'lukewarm' in the colour department - well at least it's a challenge!

I can remember building the 'proper' version of this kit soon after it first came out (was it really 1980? I was only 13 then!) and being amazed that it was so much better than the original Airfix Lancaster from 1950-whenever. How times have changed...

Simon

[Troy Smith]

Although not a Dambuster Lanc. it is an untouched one. The colours probably varied as did the side windows for example. I also believe I recall that leather cushions were green.

The plane in question is just the nose section, and was/is in the Imperial War Museum in London. The leather work is indeed green.

I can't find any images from above of the nose of PO-F [the IWM plane} but this is a 360 panorame of the Duxford plane, the green is the same, like British racing green?

This was also visible on pics of a Canadian Lancaster on a pole that is now being restored.

Note the green leather is also on the Flight Engineer's seat, the rear bench and the padding, as well as the pilot's seat.

http://www.pan3sixty.co.uk/360_panorama_of...nth#ppquicktime, scroll down to Oct 2007. You need quicktime or Flash but it will give a 360 panorama....which maybe of use.

Well, in a hunt for the above mentioned Canadian plane, I found what i was looking for, above shot of the nose of PO-F,

here http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/1998...l_lancaster.htm

Note green leather.

HTH

T

[Simon]

Thanks for that Troy - much appreciated indeed.

One more thing to add to my list of gripes about the kit - the 'Dambuster' bomb bay inset is 1mm shorter than the bomb bay aperture on the fuselage. It's an easy enough fix, but for gawd's sake...

Simon

[Edgar]

Wheel wells were black; not a lot of help showing a flash of bright green, if the hydraulics are hit, and the u/c comes down over enemy territory.

Edgar

[Simon]

Wheel wells were black; not a lot of help showing a flash of bright green, if the hydraulics are hit, and the u/c comes down over enemy territory.

Edgar

Thanks Edgar.

Simon

[miduppergunner]

B careful also also of "restorations" as they do not always follow the original colour scheme.

Pleased also that my memory has not failed as regards the green leather - the last time I saw the cockpit of "F" must have been about 1959!!

The well known photo of Gibson and his crew boarding the aircraft shows the serial as ED932. And it would also appear the fuselage windows were left clear.

Edited September 29, 2011 by miduppergunner